Light was certainly a rather peculiar character. What was he doing arming himself for a gentle summer bike ride in the Leicestershire countryside for, anyway? His actions after Bella's death don't exactly scream innocence either.

I'm inclined to think that class came into it too. Light was from the middle classes, supposedly an ex officer and gentleman, a teacher at a reasonably good boys school. He was as cool as a cucumber giving his testimony, never deviated, a bit odd considering all the panic he was supposedly in when, as an innocent man, he disposed of his bike etc.

The jury in those days, just after the First War, were probably impressed by Light's style, even if he did have a very squeaky voice, apparently. M-H would have entranced the jury in his usual barnstorming style, with huge dramatic gestures, and so Light got off. I believe he shot Bella and I'd love to know why. He later married and lived to a ripe old age, I believe.

Do you think he would have confessed to anything, though? If he was able to be as cool as a cucumber in the witness box in 1920, through a pretty savage cross-examination and kept his silence from then until old age, I don't think he would have imparted much of interest, except perhaps the fact he had found his trial to be an ordeal.

Do you think he would have confessed to anything, though? If he was able to be as cool as a cucumber in the witness box in 1920, through a pretty savage cross-examination and kept his silence from then until old age, I don't think he would have imparted much of interest, except perhaps the fact he had found his trial to be an ordeal.

No I don't think he would have confessed, however he may have thought that by saying it was an accident it may save him from the high jump if he went down.

By the same token he may have kept his mouth shut till old age because there was nothing to say, that hadn't already been said.

__________________
G U T

There are two ways to be fooled, one is to believe what isn't true, the other is to refuse to believe that which is true.

Thank you for the photos, Monty. Very interesting. I believe there was an attempt to collect enough money to buy poor Bella Wright a proper gravestone as her family could never have afforded to do so, but it failed. At least she now has a plaque.

How would it be to time travel to witness a capital trial in some of these courtrooms, lit by gaslight and with great advocates like Marshall Hall, Cassels and Curtis-Bennett in full flight!